The 14-bp insertion/deletion as a promising gene polymorphism to understand cancer risk: Evidence from a systematic...

HLA-G is associated with cancer cell escape. The 3'UTR polymorphism is involved in the regulation of membrane-bound HLA-G and soluble HLA-G proteins. The aim of our study was to assess the association of the HLA-G 14-bp insertion (I)/deletion (D) polymorphism with cancer susceptibility and its interaction with clinicopathological features and environmental factors.

A meta-analysis was performed to investigate the association between the HLA-G 14-bp I/D polymorphism and different types of cancers according to the Prisma guidelines.

Thirty-nine publications that studied the 14-bp I/D polymorphism in cancers met our inclusion criteria. The findings of the meta-analysis showed a significant association between the 14-bp I/D polymorphism and cancer risk under the allelic contrast model D vs. I (OR = 1,112, 95 % CI = 1,009-1,227; P = 0,033) suggesting that the D allele was a risk factor for cancer susceptibility. Stratification by cancer type demonstrated a significant association of the 14-bp I/D polymorphism with breast cancer under the D vs. I contrast allele model (OR = 1,267, 95 % CI = 1,028-1,563; P = 0,027). No significant association was found for digestive, cervical, haematological and thyroid cancers. A comparison of groups stratified by ethnicity showed a significant association for Caucasians under the D vs. I model (OR = 1,147, 95 % CI = 1,002-1,313; P = 0,047); and for mixed ethnicities under the DD + DI vs. II (OR = 1,388, 95 % CI = 1,083-1,780; P = 0,010) and DI vs. II (OR = 1,402, 95 % CI = 1,077-1,824; P = 0,012) models. A comparison of cancer risks associated with the 14-bp I/D polymorphism according to geographic location revealed significant risks for the D allele and DD genotype in North Africa, the Middle East and South America. However, no significant susceptibility to cancer associated with the 14-bp I/D polymorphism was shown for Europe and North Asia. The findings of a meta-analysis of subgroups by disease stage showed a significant association in both early and advanced stages, with the 14-bp deletion variant being a risk factor. Similarly, a significant cancer risk was shown for the 14-bp deletion variant in both low- and high-grade cancers. Finally, the risk associated with the 14-bp I/D polymorphism was higher in cancers with concomitant viral infection with human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV).

The findings of the overall meta-analysis showed a significant association between the HLA-G 14-bp I/D polymorphism and cancer susceptibility. The findings stratified analysis and subgroup comparisons showed that the 14-bp I/D deletion variant was associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. The HLA-G 14-bp I/D polymorphism may interact with individual and clinicopathological factors to alter cancer risk. These promising findings for cancer risk provide the basis for further studies that explore 14bp I/D polymorphism in cancer screening and immunotherapeutic approach.